Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-22
Defective BUILDINGS.

T0<tA Btitorof The EvKNING STAR:
Ills generally supposed that We have a very
complete seeOs bu,sding regulations and consider.
ahaem0ney iSpafd annually in the shape OF sala-
E1eS to secure their enforcement. Experience,
however, shows that these regulations are not en-
forced as they should be, and the reports of fires
constantly occurring show that large amour. OF
HISS Is due to this fact alone. have before me no
less than four notices of fires reported in The STAR
during 1856 In the city besides seven Others else
vAere, all caused by defective nues,n generally
By building pfsts into the chimneys. MY own ex-
Yaienee viii illustrate another source OF danger
nom detective ffleS- employed one OF the most
competent architects in the city and an expert
enced e00SraeSOE The specification provided
that
Tho mCke, heat and ventilat,nS aues to he
built in the Most careful manner well and s0lidly
pa1ged on the inside as they are being built ;" &C.
and that everything should be done In accordance
with the building regulations, one OF which pro-
videS that no wooden JOiStS, rafterS, beams Cir
derS or other wood, shall be buiA into any chin
ney or hue whatever; nor shall they or woodwork
Of any kind be placed at less distance than t,co
tsseAes rom the outside Of the brickwork of any
Notwithstanding, found the furnace smoke
hue, the most important one In the building being
built tight up alongside OF the floor lOst with but
angie orek 1es*een. and WITH the joints be-
mortar, only filed at the outer corners OF the
brick. OF course az soon as the 1ue had been used
while the mortar on the inside would scale on
and faA Out, and then there would be nothing 70
prevent The heat from passing through the JOint
and sooner or later setting hre to the Joist and
door.
called the attention OF she architect contrac-
TRACTOR, superintendent and mason all TO the
defect, and insisted that it be reInedied, and,
above all, that The tues should be laid with full
joints Orders TO that effect were given in my
presence, by both the architect and the contrA,-
Tor; and yet no less than ssI tunes subsequently
did ind the flues being laid I'D In the same de-
fect1ve manner! Each time TOOK The br1ck OF
Win my own hands, and they had To lay them
over again By being at the building at least twice
day, and watching IL constantly, succeeded In
getSang the nues built 50 that / am satisfied they
Them
Now, so far as I ever knew, no examination or
Inspection was ever made By any Official during
tne Whole time The same, no doubt, is the case
Win the HESS 81 buildings erected here.
Again, the building regulations provide that
party walls shall De constructed so that the floor
tAnDefs from opposite sides OF said walls shall
have at least four inches bearing therein and be
separated by not less than four inches OF solid
pf1ck Work" This regulation IS being constantly
Nloiateu,-a giarfng illustration OF which fact
may De seen In the buildings now being ersrtei ON
Il street north. between North Canton street and
irlaware avenue where on both the second and
tafu noors tne JoiStS from opposite sides can be
SEEN placed end 10 end without anything between
thefni
A Few weeks since party OF friends spending
tIS evening IL house uptown were Disturbed nv
smoke entering the rOoIn and soon a fire burSt
Out, cansinS considerable damage before il was
extinsulsied- Ou investigation N was folIpd that
the fire was FROM defective fiue and hal hean
conducted through the wall from the adjoining
house by the Joists- How many OF the firts Oriyi
nate rom such causes IL Is impossible to tell but
ccrIiin Is That u great many do. II the building
rSuiauons were enforced as they were desirnpd
70 D., AMI should be, such events would not Occur
The trouble seems TO b. that regulations 10 MOI
regulate and inspectors do not Inspect IL NAV he
That there Ii not SUFFICIENT force look after the,e
matters as they should be; but II So WHY is MOI
more provided? These matters are under the con.
troll OF the Engineer Commissioner and suggest
that the same amount of thought and attention
was devotel 10 these matters that is given to me
extension OF streets and avenues In the interest OF
syndlcateS and Spectators, the public Interests
would De- better Sub,erved and life and prouerr '
be rendered more secure.
somebody ought 10 be made responsible for al
Damage VI loss occurring from such sources Nc
doubt the contractor would be II IL could be proven
that II was his fault; but general rule the frf
does not occur until the house has been occupied
Two or three years, ana perhaps more and ther
lne contractor is Soinew here else or Is irrespons
of III the proper officials were made criIninally
reHponaDle no doubt the matter would be attended
To- In such case the neglect OF duty is indeed !
ctmr, because II JeopardiZes Life as well as prop
cry. IL would also seem 10 De a very proper sub
~ tDf Inc Br1ckEtyers' Union 10 take action on
~ pfusllng for the expulsion OF all members who
are guilty. on such otfectiye work. CITIZEN
SanGary IL, lSs7.